Donald Trump will be in Baton Rouge Friday to support Republican John Kennedy in the US Senate race. UL-Lafayette political science Professor Pearson Cross says the visit isn’t really necessary, as Kennedy has a double digit lead over Democrat Foster Campbell, but it’s a nice gesture.
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The event begins at noon in the Dow Chemical Hangar at the Baton Rouge Airport.

During a budget hearing at the state capitol, republican legislators expressed concerns about the state’s health care budget, which contains two-point-eight billion dollars in general state tax dollars. Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds…
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State Health Secretary Rebekah Gee says the state is actually saving dollars as a result of the expansion of the Medicaid program, because it’s brought more federal money to the state.

The US House Appropriations Committee has approved a continuing resolution that contains $1.2 billion in Community Development Block Grants for Louisiana flood relief. The Governor’s Communications director Richard Carbo adds that Congress should vote on the proposal by the end of the week, which will also contain dollars to fund other flood repair projects…:
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Carbo says the state will still need federal assistance beyond this and we’ll go back to Washington DC again in April.

LSU has released the details on defensive coordinator Dave Aranda’s new three-year contract extension, which at the moment makes him the highest paid assistant coach in college football. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says he’s earned it…
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Aranda’s contract runs until March of 2020 and includes a first year salary of 1.8 million dollars.